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Best big pickerel lures

18K views 43 replies 18 participants last post by  NotAtWork 
#1 ·
I have a question for the forum. I already asked Bassman this question, but I'd like everyone's opinion, if possible.
What are your favorite big pickerel lures? There are lots that work, but what are your very best for wall hanger pick? I can't ask you this without giving mine. I've fished for pickerel as my main prey for over thirty years, and have caught many nice ones.
My biggest ever was on a Felmy's eel rigged Texas style and fished slower than many would believe possible on a cold late winter day. I also have great luck with the 5" Tiki Man Wave Worm, which is my current favorite all around lure. I like the fire tiger color and fish it on light line with no leader or weight, rigged Texas style with a 1/0 wide gap hook. I use a smaller hook so that it drops evenly, without a nose dive. The Johnson Silver Minnow is a killer lure that's been around forever and still works just fine. Huge worms rigged Texas style, but with no weight, through the heaviest weeds work great also. 12" isn't too big. I also love the Moss Boss because it goes where other lures would get gunked up. Spinners with huge blades (#8 isn't too big) are excellent along with jigs. Notice that everything I mentioned is weedless. Deep diving cranks work great too. Learn to fish them in shallow water and/or near heavy cover and structure. I often use lures that are designed to dive up to 20' in three or four feet of water.
The up side to this is that every lure I mentioned is also great for both large and smallmouth bass, since they're ambush techniques are similar to pickerel.
Ok, guys, I spilled my guts. your turns, if you please.

Rat Man
 
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#34 ·
Convinced

I'm sold, I'll give Road Runners a better shot this year. I've used them once or twice but never really tried to master them. I have a way to learn a new lure well. Just take that and nothing else fishing for a few weeks. You'll learn very quickly. That's how I learned to use the big bass spinners. I'd carried one around for years but never caught anything on it. I'd seen people catching nice fish on them (an 8lb+ in my Vorhees lake) so I knew they had to work. I finally said enough is enough and only brought two big spinners with me, one being a just in case replacement, when ever I fished for the next few weeks. It's a really good way to slow down and learn a lure's idiosyncrasies.
I'll keep you posted on how I make out with the Road Runners and Stump Jumpers. Btw, is there a big drop off in quality between the two?
Now I have two "new to me" lures to work on this Spring; the aforementioned Road Runner and I need to complete the learning process I started with swim baits last fall. With economy in mind always, I like to take a cheaper solid body salt water swim bait and rig it on a big weedless bass jig. I use it sort of like a crank, as suggested by In-Fisherman's Doug Stange. I started using it late in the fall and only tried it a few times, so there were no hook ups, but it looked excellent and cut through the weeds well. I'm sure they'll kick butt this Spring. Also, I'm going to break down and try some of those expensive hollow bodies. They're about a buck each. Sometimes you need a lighter approach. The big pre-rigged swim baits with the hook coming out of the top I can't use. It gets terribly glopped up instantly back in The Pines. And the jointed, hard bait ones I just can't afford.
 
#35 ·
I'm sold, I'll give Road Runners a better shot this year. I've used them once or twice but never really tried to master them. I have a way to learn a new lure well. Just take that and nothing else fishing for a few weeks. You'll learn very quickly. That's how I learned to use the big bass spinners. I'd carried one around for years but never caught anything on it. I'd seen people catching nice fish on them (an 8lb+ in my Vorhees lake) so I knew they had to work. I finally said enough is enough and only brought two big spinners with me, one being a just in case replacement, when ever I fished for the next few weeks. It's a really good way to slow down and learn a lure's idiosyncrasies.
I'll keep you posted on how I make out with the Road Runners and Stump Jumpers. Btw, is there a big drop off in quality between the two?
Now I have two "new to me" lures to work on this Spring; the aforementioned Road Runner and I need to complete the learning process I started with swim baits last fall. With economy in mind always, I like to take a cheaper solid body salt water swim bait and rig it on a big weedless bass jig. I use it sort of like a crank, as suggested by In-Fisherman's Doug Stange. I started using it late in the fall and only tried it a few times, so there were no hook ups, but it looked excellent and cut through the weeds well. I'm sure they'll kick butt this Spring. Also, I'm going to break down and try some of those expensive hollow bodies. They're about a buck each. Sometimes you need a lighter approach. The big pre-rigged swim baits with the hook coming out of the top I can't use. It gets terribly glopped up instantly back in The Pines. And the jointed, hard bait ones I just can't afford.
I personally never used the stump jumpers as this is the first year Im dealing with Bass Pro Shops at all, before I always ordered threw Cabelas or else I went to Cabelas in the store and did the shopping there, so I always just used the Road Runners, plus with the deal that Cabelas has where you can buy the Road Runner heads and then they have the bass assassin and crappie thunder bodies for them. So if you buy the 20 heads for 9.99 then buy 2 packs of the bodies for 2.40 something a piece, it comes out to 15$ for 20 Road Runners, a lot cheaper than the Stump jumpers.

If you want the link to this let me know.
 
#39 ·
Good choice

I've used the flukes myself, Lastcast, and I love them. I also like to fish them on top, with just the hook and no weight. I've use the pearl color and also the pink with much success. It's a great lure for bass and pickerel during any season. I always have some in my tackle box.
 
#40 ·
Bsp

I've dealt with Cabelas, Gander Mountain, and Bass Pro Shops, and find them all excellent. I've bought from BSP the most, since 1982, and I can tell you that they'll bend over backwards to please you. If a mistake is made they'll make good on it at their cost.
 
#41 ·
I have noticed it has a bit more to do with what you are using to land a nice pickeral. I have seen in the past that fishing the proper structure will produce more times than fishing open water. The smaller picks will naturally hit our favs first including: worms rigged carolina or texas style, jigs worked along the bottom when the water is colder. During the fall and early spring,we like to throw jerk baits and pick a speed that results in the most strikes. When it heats up, top water poppers/torpedos work well along the shorelines and out of structure. Even after having the best lure possible, its fishing the structure hard that will produce the bigger picks. Stay at it because the little guys will hit on the first cast, but the older guys who have seen many different baits pass in their lifetime, will need a well presented worm/jig/jerkbait to strike. Too many times i have fished the same piece of structure, whether submerged trees or stumps, and the big guys will hit last say after six or seven casts in the exact same spot. Just my thoughts. :cool:
 
#42 ·
Right-o

I couldn't have said it better, Steve-o. If you've read any of my posts you know that I only fish in the worst garbage you can find. I feel that if your lure isn't in a bit of danger of being lost to a snag you're not fishing properly, at least as far as pickerel and largemouths go. You have to make direct contact with the structure with your lure, not just fish near it. There's something else I've noticed about pickerel, and please tell me if you agree or not. I've found them to be territorial, right through the year, but especially during pre-spawn. It seems that the big boys claim the best structure or cover for themselves and run the other big ones out. After I catch one really big pickerel I leave for the next bit of structure and/or cover because I've never caught two lunkers in the same spot near the same time. I've never read anything to substantiate this... it's just something I've noticed.
 
#43 ·
I couldn't have said it better, Steve-o. If you've read any of my posts you know that I only fish in the worst garbage you can find. I feel that if your lure isn't in a bit of danger of being lost to a snag you're not fishing properly, at least as far as pickerel and largemouths go. You have to make direct contact with the structure with your lure, not just fish near it. There's something else I've noticed about pickerel, and please tell me if you agree or not. I've found them to be territorial, right through the year, but especially during pre-spawn. It seems that the big boys claim the best structure or cover for themselves and run the other big ones out. After I catch one really big pickerel I leave for the next bit of structure and/or cover because I've never caught two lunkers in the same spot near the same time. I've never read anything to substantiate this... it's just something I've noticed.
Yes, i agree. I have never caught more than one monster in the same piece either. I would think as they grow older, they grow more dominant just like anything else.
 
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